Plans for Grettir

Let me be honest with you. When I wrote about how I wanted to bring Timberline on vacation with me and have this really complicated project to focus on, I was lying. I didn’t know it at the time because I was lying to myself and I ended up lying to you, too. (Please forgive me.) Every time I’ve thought about working up a swatch for that sweater since my first attempt, I get a little dizzy. Maybe I was hoping someone would talk me out of it.

I finally admitted to myself that I wasn’t confident enough to move ahead with that cardigan. I think it’s more of a commitment issue than an actual fear of the pattern. I’ve knit aran sweaters before. Now just isn’t the right time. I’m just not excited about it and I can’t get started unless I’m really psyched out of my mind. I’m ok with that. All in good time.

Of course, that means that I had to admit to Jon that he wasn’t going to get a Timberline any time in the near future. I think he was a little bummed. This boy loves cardigans. But I have something else up my sleeve.

While I was browsing the Brooklyn Tweed site a few weeks ago, Jon caught a glimpse of Grettir over my shoulder and made me show him all of the photos. Then he forgot that he’d pointed it out to me. But I remembered and I decided that he should have this sweater in his wardrobe. I love colorwork and I haven’t knit that many circular-yoke sweaters so this will be fun. Besides, it’ll look really handsome on him and it’s very different from the rest of his clothing.

I stuck pretty close to the sample pallet. I decided to go with Cascade 220 instead of Brooklyn Tweed for some budgetary reasons but also because my LYS didn’t have all of the grey shades of Shelter in stock. Really, I fell for this blue-grey for the main color. It’s really a pewter which is one of my favorite colors.

Jon did seem a little disappointed that the main color yarn isn’t heathered the way that Shelter is. (He asked, “How will you get those dots in it?” to which I answered, “Uh…it won’t.”) But I’m confident it’ll still be a beautiful sweater. He’s pretty easy to knit for, not afraid of color or being bold. He’s a pretty stylish guy.

What do you think? Am I chickening out? Do you prefer colorwork or cables?

Comments (8)

The timberline is going to be SO beautiful. I want one (ha) it is just Jon’s style and I know he will look great in it. You will make it. Just not know. This sweater looks like so much fun and I can picture Jon on it already.

not chickening out at all! i still cringe at the thought of making an adult-sized sweater, so doing one with that sort of detail – whether colorwork or cables – is so phenomenal to me anyhow i think you’re doing great!

Oooooh I have been drooling over this sweater ever since it came out. I tried to pitch the idea to my boyfriend, but he’s quite minimalist and picky about his sweaters, though he can get a bit wild with some of his other clothes. I think that this will look fabulous on Jon, and I always prefer colorwork to cables!